Moore Suffers Serious Knee Injury: Vikings Lose Receiver

Rondale Moore Suffers Knee Injury: A Blow for the Vikings

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Rondale Moore suffered a “pretty significant” injury to his left knee during the game against the Houston Texans on Saturday, according to coach Kevin O’Connell. The injury occurred on Moore’s first play after returning from a significant right knee injury that kept him out last season. O’Connell did not provide a specific diagnosis, indicating that an MRI would be performed on Sunday. However, he described the situation as “heartbreaking”. Moore has struggled to stay healthy since being selected in the second round of the draft by the Arizona Cardinals in 2021. He missed nine games in 2022 due to various ailments, and then the entire 2024 season after suffering a right knee dislocation during training camp with the Atlanta Falcons. He signed a one-year contract with the Vikings this offseason and was on track to be the team’s kick returner and a potential number 4 receiver. In his first return, Texans linebacker Jamal Hill tackled him as he was running out of bounds after a 2-yard gain. In the process, Hill pulled Moore awkwardly over his left leg. The athletic trainers quickly brought out a cart. Moore’s frustration was evident; he slammed his hands so hard against the back of the cart that the sound was heard throughout the stadium.

“It’s one of the most painful things for me as a head coach when I feel that emotion,” O’Connell said. “I dedicate myself to trying to leave others better than I found them. In that situation, there’s nothing I can do, which is the worst feeling as a coach. So you just check in with him and make sure he knows he won’t be alone.”

Kevin O’Connell

O’Connell spoke with the members of Brad Allen’s officiating crew to ask if Hill’s hit qualified as an illegal hip tackle. “I have to see the play again before I can really give [an answer] about it,” O’Connell said. “But it was very, very unfortunate. It seemed to have a lot of the characteristics of the [hip tackle], but I know it’s a three-part process to really flag that on the field. We’ll see when we watch the tape. I don’t think there was any ill intent there.”